The next morning, Scorpius woke up and stretched before reaching over to feel for Rose. He didn't know if he was surprised or not to find the position empty. It was still early (though his girlfriend was notoriously an early riser) but the dawn was just breaking and she even stayed in bed a little longer than that.

He had assumed she would be quite worn out – emotionally and physically. He had made love to her – which was what he considered it: making love, not having sex and certainly not fucking - three times over the course of the night in an attempt to prove his love, help her relax and, as an added bonus, help her sleep.

Obviously the last didn't work as well as he'd hoped.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness and then he heard it: the quiet sobs coming from the bathroom. He knew that he hadn't been able to erase the pain and he wasn't certain he would have if he could have. Rose loved her father to a fault. She always forgave him and sometimes it made Scorpius wonder what the older man had drilled into her head as she was growing up.

He took a deep breath before removing the blankets and pulling on a pair of boxer shorts. He stretched once more and moved into the bathroom. The scene before him made his heart break more than it had the night before.

Rose had started the shower since he's woken up and she'd climbed inside. He thought perhaps that she had wanted the dull thud of the water which, as he reached a hand out to test it, was icy cold. He quickly turned up the heat and climbed in with her, boxers and all, and scooped her into his arms.

She had been curled on the floor, knees pressed tightly to her chest, head resting on her knees, and was sobbing loudly again.

His strong, beautiful girlfriend had been brought to tears at the mere thought of her worthless father and he knew, as she wrapped herself around him and cried more, that regardless of whether or not his girlfriend forgave her unworthy father, he would never do so. Ron Weasley had broken the woman he was in love with and it would take a hell of a lot more than just a few simple words to make him forgive.

"Shhh, Rosie, I know," he whispered as he rocked her shaking form back and forth. "I know it doesn't seem like it right now but it will get better. I promise, regardless of the final outcome, things will be better."

"You can't know that," she whimpered in a tortured voice. "You don't know what it's like to have your father hate you. You don't know what it's like to be tearing apart your parents' marriage. You just don't get it!" she cried out before abruptly ripping herself from his arms and leaving the bathroom.

He stayed on his knees and let the lukewarm water pour over him as he heard her quickly dress and leave his bedroom. He would give her time and space before he tried to get through to her again. Rose, when upset, could easily react like a caged animal and he didn't need her lashing out and harming their relationship. He knew, in the back of his mind, that nothing she did when she was like this could ever cause him to give up on her. He briefly wondered if that was the state of mind she was in when she dealt with her father.

He heard two more doors slam and assumed that meant she had gone. He slowly stripped off his shorts and had a quick shower before heading back to his room to get dressed. He did so at an average pace – he knew she wouldn't be at breakfast anyway – and then silently gathered his school bag (and wand) and headed up towards the Great Hall.

Predictably, when he arrived he saw the seat for the Head Girl vacant and Albus' concerned eyes scanning the room. He stopped to tell one of the younger years to make sure his tie was fixed correctly before class (as Slytherin's were often known as the most presentable House) and then continued on to his friend.

"Have you seen Rose?" Albus asked before Scorpius' rear even touched the seat.

"Yes," the blonde replied. "Back in our room. But she's a bit … off … today, which I don't blame her for, and I said the wrong thing, apparently, and she took off like a hippogriff towards a dead ferret. I knew she wouldn't be here this morning for breakfast with the way she flew out of the dormitory. I figure if she doesn't show up for Double Defense then I'll skive off and go find her. No use in her grades suffering because her dad's a giant git."

Albus nodded silently before allowing his eyes to travel up to Scorpius' father. From what his dad and Aunt Hermione told him, Draco Malfoy'd had a rotten time with his father when he was at Hogwarts. He chewed on a bit of bacon thoughtfully for a moment before turning to his mate once again. "D'ya reckon your dad would be able to talk to Rose? I mean, I know it's not exactly the same but …"

Scorpius nodded slowly as Albus' words trailed off. He was sure his father wouldn't mind talking to his girlfriend. While Draco Malfoy was always quiet about the relationship he had with his father growing up, Scorpius was privy to more information than most. He put down his fork and looked up to the Head Table, staring at his father until her turned to look at him.

Draco could feel eyes on him and it was somewhat unnerving. He couldn't possibly guess who it would be that early. He knew his son usually stared at him when he wanted something but it was barely seven and Scorpius was known to be notoriously late for breakfast.

However, as the Potions professor scanned the Great Hall, his eyes landed on those of his son. He quizzically arched a brow. He son subtly indicated the entrance of the Great Hall and stood to head in that direction.

"When Filius gets here please tell him I would like a word with him later in the day when he is at his leisure," Draco requested of Neville before slipping out the side door and going around to the spot he knew Scorpius would be waiting; it was the same spot he would meet with Severus when they needed to talk.

As he entered the small alcove behind the tapestry of Hindergard the Humble Draco could already sense that things went from bad to worse in the area of Rose Weasley.

"What happened?" he asked.

And Scorpius recounted the whole story. He left out the part about their making love but he knew his father was smart enough to figure out what had happened. He told Draco about Rose's breakdown the night before and about the fight in the shower that morning. He was quite relieved when his father made no comment about the act of being in the shower together just about the fact that Scorpius shouldn't feel too hurt by what Rose had said and done.

"She's hurting, son. I know that she shouldn't be pushing you away but it's what happens. She may be a Granger/Weasley but she's spent a lot of time with Potter. He used to do the same thing when we were your age. But I promise you, as you promised her, that things will get better. Just make sure you stick by her; let her know you love her. Don't let her push you away. Don't ever let her push you away when she needs you …"

--.--

"Just leave me alone!" Astoria shouted at Draco. "I don't need your help and I certainly don't need you!" she screamed.

"Astoria, please. Please let me in," he said in a gentle demand as he leaned against the solid door to her flat. He was on the outside and she was on the inside. But she was hurting so bad and he couldn't get to her.

They had been "not dating" for about three months when she got word that her sister, who hadn't needed a job but taken one as an auror, had been kidnapped. Daphne had decided that she wanted to give back in her own way and joining the likes of Harry Potter during the war wasn't possible so she waited and joined the auror squad. Harry had immediately drafter her onto his team because of her analytical skills. Draco figured he saw a lot of Granger in the pureblood girl and figured that since he couldn't have Granger he would settle for Greengrass.

Potter had been the one to show up at the restaurant they were at and quietly escorted them to a secluded place and told them the news. Astoria (his calm, well-tempered, wonderful Astoria) flew off the handle. She started crying and screaming and took off before Draco had the chance to wrap his arms around her.

"It was some of your dad's old mates," Harry said quietly. "I've seen this enough recently to know that you're going to be blamed for a whole load of things you didn't do. Stay steady, Malfoy. Hermione'll be ready to talk to you when you're ready to talk to her."

Few people knew that Granger and he had forged a friendship during her week of volunteering in Diagon Alley. They got together quite often and she became something of a free shrink to him. They could vent their angers and frustrations at each other, screaming and yelling all they wanted and it never hurt because the past would always hurt more. Yes, he knew he would be going to see Granger soon.

He also knew that Weasley would be hacked off at him again. Sometimes he wondered if the redhead only proposed to Granger because he was afraid that she was falling for him. He figured Weasley would have been more than content to live in sin and shag the stuffing out of Granger without ever having to put a ring on her finger.

He watched Potter go before taking a deep breath and focusing on his non-girlfriend's flat. He was kind of shocked when he hit her wards and was thrust into the corridor. That was where he found himself presently.

"Please, Astoria, let me in. Talk to me about this …"

"Why should I talk to you?!" she screamed. "I was probably just some pawn in your plans! Did I help you get your target – my sister! – by telling you all about what was going on with her? Huh? Did you happily run back to your mates every night and tell them what I told you? Am I next? Am I the next target in your sick life, Malfoy?"

"Stop it!" he shouted loudly. "I had nothing to do with this! I'm not one of them. Not anymore! You know that, Tor," he continued in a soft voice. "They made me do it and as soon as I could get out I did. You know that. We talk about it all the time. Please just let me in. Please," he begged.

She was silent for a few moments and Draco thought she'd left him to sit out there all night. He knew he would do it too. He would wait as long as it took to get her to see him again.

"You weren't just dating me to get to Daphne?" she asked quietly from the other side of the door.

"No," he responded in the same tone of voice. "I'm dating you because I really like you, Tor. I've never done anything half way. You and me … we have nothing to do with what happened. I don't think Daph was the intended target but more a target of convenience. I can promise, though, that Potter and his team will get her back."

"How can you promise that?" she asked as she slowly undid the lock and pulled open the door.

He was stunned, heartbroken, as he looked at the woman in front of him. She looked quite mussed but not in a good way. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks were red and tear-streaked and her hair was something akin to what Granger's was like back at Hogwarts. "Because I'll talk to him. I'll make sure he knows how important this is. But, Tor, he would anyway. That's just the type of bloke he is."

She nodded and let him into the flat before turning and sitting on the couch. He quietly shut the door behind him and joined her. "Everything will be okay, love," he whispered as he pulled her into an embrace. "And if you need someone to talk to and you don't want to talk to me, which I wouldn't be happy about but would respect, then Granger's pretty good at listening …"

"She's a good friend of yours these days …" Astoria said leadingly.

"She is," Draco confirmed with a nod. "She was one of the first people to accept me after the war. She and I both grew up. We fight all the time still but it's not like before. And I know that she's the one person I can go to who won't judge me because of my past."

Astoria arched an eyebrow at him. "You don't think you can come to me?"

"I hope I can one day, love, but you just accused me of dating you to help some renegade Death Eaters kidnap your sister …"

"We're not dating," she replied automatically.

"Ahh, I believe we are, Miss Greengrass, by your own admission as scant ten minutes ago," he replied with a smile.

"It was the only word I could think of," she told him quickly. "I had no other word to describe our relationship …"

"You couldn't think of the word friends?" he asked cheekily. "Well, good. Because, since you were the first to say the word, I accept that we are dating. Yes, Miss Greengrass, I will be your boyfriend. Thank you for asking."

"I didn't!" she cried out.

"But you were the first to say we were dating and I took it as an invitation. I'm very flattered that you fancy me, Tor. I was kind of hoping it wasn't completely one-sided."

"You're a prat."

"You're beautiful," he whispered as he ran a gentle hand over her cheek.

"Don't change the subject," she protested before Draco slowly swooped down and pressed his lips lightly to hers.

--.-

"Dad?" Scorpius called for the fifth time. He never knew his father to space out like he was doing in that moment. "Are you okay?" he pressed as he waved his hand in front of his father's vacant expression.

"What?" Draco asked as he shook himself from his memories. That had been the first time he'd kissed his wife and it was always so easy to get pulled back into that moment. It was one of the best of his life. "What did you say?"

"I said I won't let her pull away from me. I just wanted to give her some time to cool off. And I also wanted to ask if you would be willing to talk to her. I know you had some problems with Grandfather Lucius when you were growing up and, while I know it's not the same, Al and I thought that you might be able to help her through it."

"I'll try to speak with her after dinner tonight," Draco agreed. "But I warn you, Scor, she might not want to talk to me. I can only do so much."

"I know, Dad. Thanks. You're a good man," his son responded before giving him a brief hug and walking back towards the Great Hall.

Draco could think of few times where he felt as good as he did in that moment.

--

"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said as he saw her walk into the MLE headquarters. Truth be told he had been standing at the coffeemaker for about thirty minutes waiting for her to arrive.

"Morning, Harry," she responded as she continued past him and towards her office.

Harry groaned. He knew it would be this way but he had hoped she would have at least said more than those two words to him. He followed her silently and prevented her from shutting the door with him on the outside. He shut the door when they were both inside her office and then turned to her. "How was your night?"

"Fine," she replied tersely. "I've never been fond of hotels but the Leaky wasn't too bad."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"What do you want me to say, Harry? That I feel like I'm losing my husband? I don't know what's wrong with him. Rose isn't anything like the Slytherins of our day. And neither are Al or Scorpius for that matter. I can't fathom why my husband won't grow up. He's breaking Rose's heart and mine, Harry. It just hurts so much. I love him, Harry. You know that and you know that I always will. But right now I don't really like him and it hurts my heart to feel that way," Hermione confessed. "I just want to know why this seems to be too much for him …"

"I don't have the answer to that, Hermione," Harry told her quietly. "I know it hurts though and I need you to know that Gin and I are here for you no matter what. You do know that, right?"

Hermione nodded slowly before wrapping her arms around him. "Poor Rose," she whispered. "I hope she doesn't blame herself for this …"

Harry knew that she already was. He just hoped that someone would be able to get through to her that she wasn't to blame.